Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
The 2008 Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder we featured back in November remains up for sale. I said in my original feature that the price appeared to be on the high end, but this seller has ignored that – while also ignoring that previous ads have failed to result in a sale – and raised the asking price of this Boxster by an additional $1K. It’s a bold strategy. Let’s see if it pays off.
The Audi A4 Avant needs no introduction on these pages; an enthusiast favorite especially for those with families, the small wagon is a sharp looking, sporty package with plenty of practicality. Though not as numerous as the European market, there are plenty of configurations older models could be specified in too – from torquey and smooth 2.8 through 3.2 V6 models, to the whoosh-wonderful turbocharged 1.8T and 2.0T variants, there was also always the monster V6 twin turbo or V8 S4. Today we’re looking at two of the smallest engines, but that doesn’t make them less desirable. Indeed, for some Avant enthusiasts, the second of this duo – the S-Line Titanium package – might just be the best overall package Audi offered here. How does it compare to its father?
An interesting transposition occurred in the fast Golf-based platforms between the Mk.4 and Mk.5 chassis. In the Mk.4, the theoretical top of the heap was the Golf R32 and TT 3.2 quattro – both with 250 horsepower on tap from the rev-happy and sonorous VR6 motor, effectively twins under the skin – except for one significant difference. In the R32, in the U.S. that setup was available only with a manual 6-speed, while Audi opted to offer only the new DSG dual clutch transmission. When it came to the PQ5 revisions, it was expected that this would continue – but VAG threw us a loop, because the R32 suddenly became DSG-only and while that gearbox was available in the TT, you could now opt for a 6-speed manual in the 8J. True, the 3.2 was no longer King of the Hill for Audi, a crown that would later be placed upon the impressively outrageous TT RS. And long term, truth told the TT RS is probably the most collectable of the 8Js, but if you love the TT and you’d like something to tide you over until prices become more reasonable in the used market, it’s worth scouring the internet for a 6-speed manual version of the TT 3.2 quattro:
You might think that a car that has a simple button to raise its power by 100 horses might have enough, but today we have two E60 M5s that will explain to you why that kind of thinking makes you a peacenik ninny. I mean, if you can get a V10 in used Audis, then you have to do something to make your M5 stick out, right? These two E60s take pretty different approaches to power and style – supercharger vs. stroker, manual vs. SMG, Eurotuner vs. Roundel – but both represent about as insane of Autobahn stormers as you can find.
We know that Porsche likes to remember its successes. And, of course, the best (and generally most lucrative) way for a marque to showcase that remembrance is with a special edition model. Typically, Porsche produces these special editions for the 911, but there have been a few for the Boxster as well and we saw quite a few of them as the 987 model run neared its end. Of the various special editions of the Boxster released at this time the Boxster RS60 Spyder was the one that Porsche used as a commemoration. In this case it was to commemorate their victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1960. The winning car that day was the Porsche 718 RS Spyder. The 718 was an important racer for Porsche capable of competing with the more powerful Ferraris in the Targa Florio and further establishing Porsche’s name among racing’s elite. For its commemorative model, production was capped at – you guessed it – 1960 units and like many of Porsche’s special editions the “specialness” primarily came in the guise of a unique GT Silver Metallic exterior over a Carrera Red interior that was intended to match the look of the 718 RS Spyder itself. These cars did receive a bump in power thanks to a new exhaust – bringing power up to 303 hp, 8 more than the standard 295 hp of the Boxster S – but overall there were no significant alterations to power or weight. For fans of Porsche’s racing history the RS60 Spyder provides another opportunity to experience that connection, even if only in its most basic sense.
